Bishop William Love could be disciplined by the Episcopal church. (Amy Biancolli / AP)

ALBANY — The Episcopal Church on Friday cleared the way for same-sex marriages in an upstate New York diocese where they were barred by a bishop who claimed the church had been “hijacked by the ‘Gay Rights Agenda.’”

The Rev. William Love now faces possible disciplinary action for his November directive barring same-sex marriages in the Albany-based diocese.

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Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry wrote Friday that Love's action “may constitute a canonical offense” and referred his case for disciplinary review.

While the case is pending, Curry placed restrictions on Love that forbid him from penalizing clergy, laity or worshipers in the diocese for arranging or participating in same-sex marriages.

Church leaders in July overwhelmingly passed a same-sex marriage resolution that gives bishops with theological objections to same-sex marriages the option to have other clergy perform services. Activists said Love is the only U.S. bishop refusing to comply with that updated resolution, which went into effect Dec. 2.

“(A)s Presiding Bishop I am called upon to take steps to ensure that same-sex marriage in The Episcopal Church is available to all persons to the same extent and under the same conditions in all Dioceses of the Church where same-sex marriage is civilly legal,” Curry wrote in his letter.

The diocese said Love was out and not immediately available for comment.Love wrote in his eight-page letter in November that: “The Episcopal Church and Western Society have been hijacked by the ‘Gay Rights Agenda,’ which is very well organized, very strategic, very well financed, and very powerful.”

He added: “Satan is having a heyday bringing division into the Church over these issues.”

Curry said that while he believed in Love's sincerity and good will, the policy was mandatory for all dioceses.Eight dioceses had previously refused to comply with an earlier 2015 resolution allowing same-sex marriage in the church.